Street Magic (Black London, Book 1)

Street Magic (Black London, Book 1)

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Editorial Reviews

Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life  mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete’s eyes—or so she thought. Now a detective[MSOffice2] , Pete is investigating the case of a young girl kidnapped from the streets of London. A tipster’s chilling prediction has led police directly to the child…but when Pete meets the informant, she’s shocked to learn he is none other than Jack. Strung out on heroin, Jack a shadow of his former self.  But he’s able to tell Pete exactly where Bridget’s kidnappers are hiding: in the supernatural shadow-world of the fey.  Even though she’s spent years disavowing the supernatural, Pete follows Jack into the invisible fey underworld, where she hopes to discover the truth about what happened to Bridget—and what happened to Jack on that dark day so long ago…

Customer Reviews

Surprised to see so many positive reviews...

Reviewed by S. Carver, 2010-02-17

Street Magic has the potential to be good- an interesting premise and seemingly interesting characters, but in the end it just falls flat. The whole storyline seemed incredibly forced and unnatural, especially the terrible "UK English" dialogue. I was so distracted by the unnatural banter that I couldn't get myself to care what was happening in the story. Why Kittredge thought that it was a good idea to use UK English dialogue is beyond me- she clearly thought she had a better grasp of the slang than she actually does.
It took me weeks to get through this book, when normally I am a fast reader. It was just boring, awkward, and a waste of time. I own the second book in this series too, but I don't even know if I can get myself to read it.

The worst book ever

Reviewed by Alicia A. Bauer, 2010-02-14

I tried to muddle through the book, and half way through, just had to stop, didn't even finish reading it.. boring, boring, boring!!!

great new series, Love Jack!

Reviewed by 4fabfelines, 2010-02-10

This was a great new series. ya gotta love the characters and their quirks..Pete was a infatuated teen when she met Jack, a singer in a nightclub.
They share a special bond that they are not quite aware of what it all means. One day, Jack goes to a cemetary to call up a old socerer. Something goes terribly wrong and Jack dies, Pete runs off and is haunted every day with what she has seen.
fast foward 14 years and Pete is a investgater with Scotland yard, looking into childrens' disappearances when she runs into the assumed dead Jack in a junkies dive.
Jack tells her where the child can be found, and Pete is determined not to let Jack run off with out answers.
What happened that day in the graveyard>? Why do they have a special bond?

You might want to rip your editor's "bloody bollocks" off.

Reviewed by Natalie Slaughter, 2010-01-31

Now, there were a lot of things about this book that I really, really enjoyed. I loved the characters of Pete and Jack-- they were gritty, realistic, and watching Jack suffer through the withdrawal of years of heroin as well as the consequences of his previous actions. Watching Pete slowly come to realize what's happened to her and come to terms with her past-- it was a great read. The author took an overdone plotline -- demons come to earth and want to eat your souls -- and puts a unique twist on it all that makes it a joy to read.

Though I have to join the chorus and say that the Britspeak written here almost turned me off of the book completely. It was almost too bad to sit through at some parts. Bloody was used almost literally twice on every page, and the way it was written smacked of.. how do I describe this. It's like she read some bad Harry Potter or Doctor Who fanfiction and used it as speech reference. Whomever she used as a Britspeak checker needed serious replacing here-- perhaps by someone either actually from London, or someone who would give actual corrections to cringe-worthy dialogue lines.

And the constant noting of "Jack lit up a Parliament," or "Pete stole Jack's Parliament" or fag is unnecessary. Switching up the vocabulary is not only refreshing, but it makes it seem less like the author is trying to prove just how British they are by reusing the same brands and terminology repeatedly.

Sucked into The Black and Not Coming Back! (not even kicking and screaming)

Reviewed by Nicola Mattos, 2010-01-31

Caitlin Kittredge's Street Magic is more than just an urban fantasy fix. Its an edgy, sinister treat. Kittredge has created two unforgettable characters that you will want to revisit again and again, just to peel away their unending layers. Hopelessly flawed, we gravitate towards Jack Winter and Pete Caldecott. Those imperfections speak to us, we relate to them.

Kittredge has drawn Jack Winter as a diabolically seductive enigma with a deeply troubled soul. Once Winter was a mage superstar in The Black until he summoned an entity that tore his soul apart and forced him to make some very nasty decisions. Unfortunately he dragged his girlfriends' younger sister and ingénue, Pete along with him.

Twelve years have passed since that fateful eve, and the stain of that day still linger on. The soul-deep ties that were forged with spirit, blood and bone in that decrepit cemetery cannot be denied. Jack and Pete must join forces yet again against a deadly entity despite their past, and despite their personal demons. The Black awaits them. Whether they are ready or not.

The overwhelming personal conflict between these two is the real draw-as is the selfless pursuit of saving Jack's soul by Pete. Is Jack worth saving? Can he summon the courage within himself to fulfill the destiny at hand? Readers will inevitably dissect and invest themselves in this sole pursuit. Who is the real Jack Winter? How much will he sacrifice to save Pete? Can the crow-mage and his Weir battle this amorphous enemy? And how does the future of The Black rest on their collective shoulders?

Kittredge has done her job. She has engaged and thrilled the reader. The realm of The Black as it exists in London and its occupants are enticing. Combined with Jack and Pete's magical exploits it makes for a heady read. Street Magic has an overall sense of a mosh pit at Fivers meshed with The Clash and Poppy Brite's Lost Souls. There are so many juicy bits to gnaw at and savor that I simply don't know where to start. You'll want to suck the marrow clean of Kittredge's story and still lick your chops for more.
© Nicola Mattos